Pride and Bepo
by I-Dont-Like-I-Obsess
Summary: When the Heart Pirates land on an uninhabited winter island, things start out pretty normal. Bepo, of course, is having fun. He gets to explore the island with his best friend and captain. Getting to walk through the snowy hills? Great. Watching his nakama have fun in the snow? Awesome. Finding what he's been searching for his entire life? Even better. A Bepo short!
1. The Island

A/N- *Gasp* Another one-shot? With Bepo as the PROTAGONIST? Yes, please... ;P

Chronologically, this happens between chapters 53 and 54!

* * *

"Another winter island? Really?" Parker complained, zipping up his jacket higher. Just then a freezing wind blew across the air, carrying snowflakes with it. Snow hit Parker's face with intense force. "AH! Cold...cold...cold…"

He ran back up into the submarine, away from the cold and trying to get heat from his companions standing around him.

"You're such a wimp." Shachi taunted, throwing on his gloves. "I bet I could last longer out there than you could."

"Oh yeah? Go see what you think." Parker huddled next to Bepo who watched his nakama in contentment.

"Fine, I will!" Shachi said, bringing himself up to his full height and walking towards the door. "Penguin, you're coming with me!"

"Wait, what?" He waved his hands in front of him, shaking his head vigorously. "No way! I don't wanna go out there!"

"Then who's gonna have my back? I need a wingman!"

Summer laughed, shaking her head and squeezing through the pack of men. "I'll go."

"Yeah! Summer-chan is with me! I call it!" Shachi fist-pumped and grabbed her hand, pulling her out into the freezing air. The two ran down the ramp into the snow below.

Bepo went next, walking calmly down into the snow without flinching when the wind picked up. He just couldn't understand what everyone was talking about. It felt fine out here!

"What is going on?" Law asked, coming up from behind the large group by the door.

"This island's freezing!" Blake said, pointing outside at the swirling wind and snow. Law cokced his head and examined the island.

"Well, don't you think we should get going then?" He suggested, to which the crew sighed. A suggestion was basically an order so they trudged down the ramp and followed Summer and Shachi into the snow.

"Think I could make a snow angel?" Shachi asked, eyeing the snow at his feet. There were several inches of snow. The level came up to his knees. Summer eyed the depth with doubt.

"I don't think-"

"GERONIMO!" Shachi shouted, leaping with his back to the ground. With a flurry of snowflakes, the engineer plunged deep into the snow and disappeared from view. When the sow settled, all Summer couldn't see her companion at all.

"Umm...Shachi?" She called.

"I can't move." His muffled voice said. With a shake of her head, she immediately started digging him out.

Behind her, the rest of the crew slowly approached. Bepo walked up first and watched as Shachi was slowly released from the snow. His face was entirely red, and he shivered violently.

"Why did you do that?" The bear asked innocently. Shachi glared.

"Because I wanted to make a snow angel! Snow angels are cool!" Bepo only looked at him.

"But the snow is too deep. You can't make a snow angel in-"

"Quiet you!" He pointed an accusatory finger at him, but Summer hit him on the head.

"Hey! Don't pick on Bepo. You're the idiot here, baka." The engineer rubbed his head where her hand had landed.

"Ah, Summer-chan, why do you have to be so violent? Are you sure you don't have PM-"

"Quiet you!" She hissed, smacking him again.

"Ow!"

"Gather around!" The captain called, standing in the snow with the others surrounding. They walked over to where Law stood, waiting for his orders.

"There aren't any documented towns on this island, so we'll have to go out and look for any food and supplies. There looks to be a forest to the east: half of you look for edible plants and herbs. Casper will assist you in identifying them." The cook nodded in understanding.

"The rest of you will explore and search for anything useful." Then he sectioned them off into groups and sent them away.

* * *

Summer and Shachi were assigned to look for food, while Bepo and Law went in search of anything that could be of use. Summer's group wandered deep into the thick pine forest that grew there.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Summer asked Shachi, watching as he strutted confidently through the thick snow on the ground. He glanced back with a grin.

"Of course! My food-finding senses are top notch, bested only by those of Bepo! I'm like a food bloodhound!" She raised an eyebrow.

"Right…"

"So, which plants are edible?" Shachi asked, glancing at mushrooms on the ground as they passed. Summer looked around but shook her head.

"A good rule of thumb is never to eat mushrooms unless you are absolutely sure they're _not_ deadly." The shrubs and trees around them held no fruit and most of the bark from the plants were poisonous anyway. "There's a shrub that grows in arctic climates like this called the bearberry. It's berries are edible."

"A bearberry?" Shachi laughed at the name, still leading the two through the worn path. "What about animals? Are there any animals we could eat?"

"Umm...well…" She pondered aloud. There was an obvious answer, but that would never be an option to their crew. "Umm, there might be seals or hares on this island. I'm not sure though, I haven't seen any evidence of them."

"Aww, I was hoping for some meat…" He sank a little in depression and Summer shook her head slowly.

"Man, you're so weird…" He turned around quickly.

"Shut up!"

* * *

"What exactly are we looking for Captain?" Bepo asked, walking through the thick snow with ease. Law walked beside him, bundled in his black coat and hoodie underneath. Puffs from his breath came in clouds in front of his mouth, swirling away with the wind behind him.

"Anything we might find useful."

"That's a pretty general description." Law smirked. "Is there anything you're hoping to find?"

"Hmm…" He thought, scanning the large hill in front of them. There were a number of arctic herbs he was running low on, but he had enough to last him a few more months. On an uninhabited island like this, a number of items could be left abandoned by passing crews. "I'm not really sure." He said.

"Do you think this island has any female bears?" He asked, and Law grinned.

"Well, it's possible but I haven't seen any evidence that there are." Bepo nodded, but he looked determined to find that female bear so the captain left him to his thoughts.

The two wandered for another half hour or so, exploring the island and looking for things in the snow. There wasn't much of anything, only a few empty chests here and there. They crossed paths with other members of the crew searching for food or looking for useful items. From their reports, there wasn't much of anything on the island, save for the forest that grew on the south side.

Bepo checked the log pose on his wrist. "The lop pose hasn't set yet, Captain."

"Then we'll have to continue searching to pass the time." Law responded, stepping over a rock that protruded from under the snow.

Somewhere distantly in front of them, a sudden roar echoed across the hills. Bepo and Law stopped in their tracks, listening to the strange noise. It faded slowly away, leaving the air feeling unnaturally still. Bepo sniffed the air curiously, walking forwards to pick up the scent.

"Can you tell what it is?" Law asked, trying to discern from where the sound had come from. Bepo kept walking forward, a little more eager than before.

"I think so." He began at a trot towards the east and Law struggled to keep up with him.

"Bepo, what is it?" Bepo only shook his head and went a little faster. Before he knew it, the captain and his polar bear were running through the snow towards whatever had made that roar.

* * *

A/N- Guesses as to what could have made that roar? I'm sure it's fairly obvious. :)

Please, leave a review and let me know what you think!

See you in the next chapter!


	2. Chasing Hare

A/N- I know, I've been awful with updating. You have my permission to rant now. :o

**BatmanSwim2016- **Well, just wait and see! :)

**roo17- **Ah, but there's more my friend! Bepo's adventure hasn't ended yet! :)

* * *

"Well, it's about the only thing we've found so far." Shachi bent over, hands on his knees, to inspect a tall berry bush in the thick snow. The leaves were very...well, bushy. Underneath the small green clusters were bunches of little purple berries. Summer stooped to pick out one, rolling it between her fingers in thought.

"It _looks_ to be the right one. Bearberry bushes don't have any mimic plants either, so…"

"Mimic plants?" Shachi asked, glancing in her direction. She squished the small berry between her thumb and finger and watched the dark purple juice run down her hand.

"Yeah, you haven't heard of them?" When he shook his head, she continued. "They're plants that have evolved to look almost exactly like other plants but they're deadly."

Shachi looked back at the bush with a shudder. "Well, I guess it's comforting to know there aren't any of those for this kind of bush."

"Hmm...I say we gather the berries and then check with Casper when we get back. He'll know for sure."

Taking out a canvas sack from his coat pocket, Shachi began collecting the small berries, Summer helping him.

* * *

"Bepo!" Law shouted, struggling to keep up with the polar bear. While Bepo's body was made for this type of climate, the captain's shoes slipped and slid all over the snowy ground. But what worried Law wasn't the chance of falling and breaking his neck.

He hadn't seen his first mate ever act like this before. Even now, when he called out to him, there was little to no response. Something in Bepo had awakened, some animal instinct that even their friendship couldn't overcome. Whatever it was up ahead, Bepo was set on finding it.

They continued running towards a large hill in front of them, gently sloping upwards but somehow being just as difficult as a mountain to Law. The good news was that it seemed Bepo was slowing down, and Law just managed to climb onto his back as he loped up the slope.

"What is it?" Law shouted over the swirling wind. Eyes squinted, he gazed out over the hill but couldn't see anything.

"There!" Bepo exclaimed, though to himself or his Captain, Law wasn't sure. Either way, Law was able to make out a white body further below them in the snow, and apparently that was what Bepo had been looking for.

They descended the hill quickly, Bepo bracing his legs so as not to tumble forward. Law was thankful of this, for he was still hanging on tightly to the bear's back. Once the ground had evened out, Law jumped off Bepo's back and watched as the bear continued towards the white mound of something.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Bepo called out, coming beside whatever it was and brushing off the snow. To his surprise, Law realized it was another polar bear, slightly smaller in size than Bepo. The bear was laying on the ground, seemingly sleeping or unconscious, and Bepo tried to heave the animal up to its feet.

The bear gave a strangled roar, and Bepo cocked his head. Law watched the exchange with interest and bewilderment. "Can you communicate?" He asked his first mate.

With a nod, Bepo continued to listen to whatever the bear's roars translated to. All the while, Bepo struggled to lift the bear to its feet.

"She said that the plants have become harder to find on this island and that she won't make it through hibernation" Bepo told Law once the bear had stopped. "She's asking for us to help her."

Law raised an eyebrow. Normally he wasn't one to save every dying animal he came across. It just wasn't practical. But the fact that this was a polar bear, and a _female _bear at that, made it important to Bepo and Law wouldn't let his companion down.

"Can she walk or must we drag her?"

"Can you walk?" Bepo asked, and the bear gave a tired moan. Nonetheless, she forcefully pushed herself to her feet. The snow beneath her feet made her slip a little, but she retained her balance.

"She says she'll walk for as long as she can." With a nod, Law led the way back to the submarine.

* * *

"Hey, hey look at that!" Shachi whispered, pointing somewhere in the bushes. Summer followed his finger and spotted two small hares sniffing around on the ground. They crouched down to avoid making noise and scaring them away. Summer placed the bag gently on the snow, carefully watching the animals.

"Do you have any ranged weapons?" Summer whispered, and Shachi got out his gun. With a roll of her eyes she shook her head. "Really? No slingshot or small bow and arrow? You gotta go all the way and use a freakin' pistol?"

"What? It's the only thing I have." He shrugged, checking the ammo.

"That's gonna be so loud." Summer took the gun and aimed it at the hare on the left. It was chewing a small blade of grass that had somehow managed to poke through the snow. Putting it in her sights, she breathed evenly.

"Come on, Summer-chan, I want meat!" He whispered, and though she wasn't looking she could practically see him salivating at the thought. With a smirk, she pulled the trigger.

The little animal dropped dead without suffering, but the other one instantly hopped away into the brush. Shachi was up and running a second later.

"I'll get it!" He yelled, sprinting towards the escaped hare. Summer was left behind to clean the one they had killed. She only shook her head and laughed, watching his figure comically try to catch the hare.

"Only you could be bested by a rabbit, Shachi." She muttered, kneeling next to the dead hare. Her shot through it's heart had killed it instantly, and she was only glad it hadn't suffered in death. Taking out her knife, she set to work on the little creature.

* * *

The bear only made it a mile or two before collapsing to the snow in exhaustion. From there, Bepo had to carry the polar bear on his back, with Law hanging onto one of her enormous paws in an attempt to help in some way. Law didn't realize how far they'd walked until they had to return.

No one really spoke on the way back. They were too focused on getting the bear back to the submarine. The majority of Law's time was spent watching the strange interaction of his first mate and the animal. Strange only because Bepo had never really taken an interest such as this in anything but the crew. And it slightly worried him.

* * *

A/N- So, please leave a review and let me know how I'm doing! I love your opinions!

Bepo is so cute! So kawai! :D I need a Bepo...


	3. Pride

A/N- I'm loving writing this one-shot so far! I don't think I've seen other Bepo one-shots before. If you know of any, let me know what they're called so I can read them! :)

Update: Polar bears do not hibernate. I know that now. But we will pretend because as an author I am basically kind of lazy. I apologize, but I would much rather spend time on new chapters for other stories than have to change the plot for this one. :/ Sorry.

**10th Squad 3rd Seat- **Bepo can do anything. Bepo is the embodiment of possible! :P

**jenny- **You are totally right, they don't hibernate. My mistake! :o But, for the sake of this one-shot, can we pretend that they do? :)

* * *

"Shachi, I'm pretty sure you're not gonna find that rabbit. It's long gone." The engineer stood puffing hard, hands on his knees in a bent position. He held up a hand, still breathing hard. It took him a minute before he could speak properly.

"I'll...get it...for sure…woo...I'm exhausted." Shaking her head, she walked past him carrying the skinned rabbit and the bag full of questionable berries. A light snow had started to fall while they'd been chasing the rabbit around. Now, with the sun at it's highest in the sky the fat flakes came down with a little more force.

"You think we should head back? We don't want to be caught up in a blizzard." Summer said, thinking about the last time she'd been caught in a blizzard with a member of the crew. A shudder ran down her spine, which Shachi took to be because of the cold.

"You're probably right...let's go back."

"Umm…" Summer started, stopping where she stood. She scratched at her head, and Shachi cocked his.

"What?" She turned to face him with a concerned look.

"Which way is the sub?"

* * *

"Where are we going to put her? I won't be able to drag her up the ramp." Bepo huffed. Law observed the submarine in thought. Pointing beside the hull, he directed them forward.

"We can make a temporary shelter outside. If we put up some boards and a few blankets, it should keep the snow off of her."

With the last vestiges of their strength, they carried the limp polar bear beside the sub's hull and lowered her gently to the ground. Bepo was especially gentle, as if a wrong bump would shatter the bear. Law raised an eyebrow at this.

"I'll get the crew to help." Ascending the ramp, he instructed the men inside to gather the wood and lots of blankets that weren't being used.

After a half hour's work, an adequate shelter leaned against the hull and covered the unconscious bear. Bepo dutifully sat beside her, looking out for any danger. The captain still looked to this in concern but left it be. He didn't want to tell Bepo that he couldn't have what he'd been looking for forever.

"I'm going to catch fish for when she wakes up." Bepo announced, walking off towards the shore and diving in. Every once in a while, the bear would emerge from below the waves with a fish in his mouth. He piled them up on the shore.

'_Perhaps there's a way for her to come with us.'_ Law thought, doubting his own thinking. Most likely, they would have to leave the bear on the island. Bepo would probably be depressed for a few weeks but he would move on...right? Somehow, he had misgivings.

* * *

"She's waking up!" Bepo announced an hour later, rising from his sleeping position on the ground. Law was forced to sit up from laying on Bepo, much to his irritation. He wasn't used to Bepo's sudden movements. Usually, he waited until Law got up to move.

A low growl came from the bear, her sixth sense of a presence kicking in, but Bepo shushed her into a calmer state. Turning to the pile of fish he'd caught earlier, he offered a few to the bear.

Sniffing one experimentally, she timidly took the fish and swallowed it. Her ears perked up at the food entering her stomach and she looked to the rest of the fish. Patiently, Bepo fed the bear one fish after another until they had all been eaten.

"Do you feel better now?" Bepo asked, and the bear gave a small grunt. "What's your name?" He asked.

There were several grunts and roars from the bear and Bepo nodded along. Law was curious about the exchange.

"What is she saying?" He asked. Bepo waited until the bear finished speaking before answering Law's question.

"She said her name is Pride, and that she's thankful for us helping her. She said she's one of the only polar bears left on the island so seeing me was a surprise."

"What happened to the rest of them?" Law asked, and Pride made more noises.

"She said that hunters have come through and killed most of them." Pride said a few more things. "No, we're not hunters. We're pirates."

"Has the log pose set yet?" Bepo glanced at his wrist and shook his head. "Then we'll stay on the island and help her recover for now."

"Thank you, Captain." Leaving the two bears alone, Law walked back inside the submarine and into his own room. Taking off his hat with a sigh, he fell backwards onto the comforter of his bed. Bringing up his hands behind his head, he closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

He really needed more sleep. Seeing as there was nothing to do at the moment except wait for everyone to get back, he took advantage of the silence.

* * *

A/N- So, we have Summer and Shachi getting lost, Law finally getting some goddamn sleep, and Bepo getting to know Pride!

Please, leave me a review and let me know what you thought! Your opinions help me so much to write! They are my motivation and my inspiration! :)

Again, forgive my mistake with the polar bears hibernating. I honestly wasn't sure about it when I wrote it.

See you in the next chapter!


	4. Rock, Paper, Scissors

A/N- Yay! Another chapter! :D

What new things await us in the many adventures of Bepo? :P

**10th Squad 3rd Seat- **I think it's about time he got some. That sexy man needs some beauty sleep ;)

* * *

"Have you had enough to eat?" Bepo asked Pride, offering her the bowl of fish he'd caught earlier. She yawned and laid her head on her paws. She closed her eyes, preparing to rest.

"Yes, I'm fine now. Thank you."

"What's it like to live on this island?" Pride opened her eyes a smudge, eyeing the other polar bear with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.

"You don't know what it's like to live in the real world, do you?" She questioned, watching as Bepo's curious looked turned to one of confusion. He shook his head. With a sigh, Pride heaved herself back up to a sitting position and faced him.

"Living on the island is hard. You never know if you'll be able to eat that day or not. You constantly have to hunt or fish for food. It's a real challenge."

"I've always liked challenges." Bepo pondered.

"Sometimes you have to hide, mostly from the hunters but from other animals as well." She brushed some snow off of her paw. For the most part, the shelter kept the snow off of her.

"Well, why don't you just fight back?" Her look was one of disbelief.

"You can't. There's a big group of them." Bepo hit his fist into his palm.

"I could take care of them. I've fought large groups of people before. They wouldn't stand a chance." Pride shrugged.

"Well, it's not like you'll ever be able to anyway."

"What do you mean?" The female bear gestured to the men walking around the submarine a ways away from them.

"You have your friends. You'll just leave with them soon." Bepo remained quiet.

"Well...what if I stayed here? With you?" She cocked her head.

"..." She didn't say anything, just stared off into the snowy hills. Both bears had a lot to think about.

* * *

"No! It can't be that way! We never went that direction." Summer adamantly argued, gesturing towards yet another gnarled tree in the gigantic forest of gnarled trees. "I'm telling you. The sub is _this_ direction." She pointed south, away from where Shachi was heading. He turned.

"There's no way you can know that!"

"Well, there's no way you can know that _that's _the right way, now can you?" She said, crossing her arms.

"We can't just keep going in circles! We need to pick a direction and stick with it." Summer held out her hand.

"Rock paper scissors will determine which way we go, got it?" He nodded fiercely, holding out a fist of his own.

"Rock...paper...SCISSORS!" They both shouted at the same time, holding out their hands. Both held up paper.

"Another round!" Shachi said.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" They yelled, and once again they both picked paper.

"Stop picking paper!" Summer yelled, closing her fist together. Shachi shook his head in disbelief.

"_You_ stop picking paper. I can choose whichever one I want!"

"Let's just do one more round, alright? Winner makes the decision." They held out their hands one last time.

"Rock...paper...SCISSORS!"

Throwing both of their hands out, they both sweatdropped at the sight of both of them playing rock.

"God dammit!" Shachi shouted throwing his hands up in the air.

"This is getting us nowhere. Can we just pick a direction and go?"

Shachi sighed heavily. "_Fine._" He huffed, crossing his arms like a five-year-old. "Just go."

Shaking her head, Summer stomped off through the trees. "You're such a child." SHe muttered. Unfortunately, Shachi heard her.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing, baka!"

* * *

A/N- So, kinda short but still a chapter! :) We have Summer and Shachi..._still_ lost. Law..._still_ asleep. And Bepo..._still _adorable.

So, pretty much nothing has changed...

Oh well...

Please, leave a review and let me know how I'm doing! Your opinion matters!

See you in the next chapter!


	5. Separated

A/N- So, I'm so glad this story is doing well! :)

**BatmanSwim2016- **There may be a SummerxLaw moment, but I'm not sure at the moment. :)

**10th Squad 3rd Seat- ***Does own shame on you face* Bepo, go back inside to the sub! You're grounded!

Onwards!

* * *

"Summer-chaaaaaann!" Shachi called from behind her, and she rolled her eyes and turned. "It's so cold!" He shouted, holding onto his arms to preserve body heat. The wind had began to pick up and the fat flakes were now coming down harder than before.

"I'm cold too, baka!" Her teeth chattered between words, and she shivered more violently than before.

"We have to cuddle to-" He started but she swung around.

"No! No cuddling of any kind!" She started walking through the fields and hill again.

"But Summer-chan, I'm gonna die of hypothermia! Would you really want that to happen?"

"Sometimes." She muttered to herself. She pulled her jacket, adorned with fur around the hood, a little closer. Rolling her eyes, she turned and waited for Shachi to catch up. Her compassion was starting to get the better of her.

"Fine, let's just stick close together so we don't get lost either." The engineer gave a sigh of relief. They huddled close together and walked in a straight line through the large open fields.

"Have you seen any sign of the sub yet?" Summer chattered, but Shachi shook his head.

"We should be getting close, right?" The wind blew past them in a stronger gust than usual, sending snow into the hoods of their jackets and in their eyes.

"I hope so."

* * *

The snow continued to fall, growing more severe as time went on. Soon, visibility was reduced to no more than a foot in front of them. Shachi and Summer held onto each other's arms, linking them together so they wouldn't lose each other in the white blizzard.

Still being in the open fields, there was nowhere to take shelter. Not a tree in sight, no caves of any kind, and still no sight of the yellow submarine they called home.

"Shachi! I think-" Summer's foot slipped on a patch of ice hidden under the snow, sending her sliding down the hill and accidentally releasing her grip on Shachi's arm. "AH!" She shouted, flailing her arms around to prevent her fall.

"Summer-chan!" Shachi muffled voice shouted, unable to find where she was. All he could understand was that Summer wasn't next to him anymore. "Summer-chan! Where are you?"

"Shachi!" A very faint voice called, coming from a direction the engineer couldn't pinpoint. It was no use using landmarks for direction, the only thing visible was the swirling white of the snow in the air.

"Summer-chan!" Turning left, he started off that way in hopes of finding her.

* * *

Summer had been on Shachi's right. The hill they'd been walking on was slightly more elevated than those around them and they hadn't realized it. Summer, having slid down at least 30 feet of slick snow, was laying on the ground at the bottom. Breathing heavily didn't do much to catch her breath as the high winds and snow kept going into her mouth. Coughing fits overtook her.

"S-Shachi!" She called, her voice hoarse from the dry air. She didn't hear an answer, only the howling wind. "Shachi!" She tried again in vain.

Struggling to get to her feet, she brushed off whatever snow she could on her jacket even though the wind just replaced it a few moments later. A few steps into walking and she slipped and fell once more. She landed onto her knees, and they scraped on some rocks that were underneath the snow.

"Dammit!" She could feel a hint of warmth through her pants, and a little moisture. Looking down, a dark red liquid began staining the knees of her pants. She was out of breath, bleeding, lost in the middle of a blizzard.

Things were turning out just _peachy._

* * *

"Parker, do you know where Captain is?" Blake asked, holding a few medical books. "He wanted me to organize his bookshelf in the infirmary but I have a questions for him."

Parker took another sip of his hot chocolate, then pointed down the hall. "Last I heard, he was in his room. Go check there."

"Thanks, man." Heading off in that direction, he greeted a few men who passed by.

'_Huh.'_ He wondered to himself. '_I haven't seen Shachi or Summer for awhile...'_

Coming up to the Captain's quarters, he noticed that the door was slightly ajar. This was odd, as Law was always careful to keep his personal quarters secure at all times. Cautiously pushing the door open, he looked inside.

There, lying on the bed in some strange position, was the captain. His arm shot out at a strange angle, hidden partially by the comforter of his bed. A head of unruly hair poked out at the top and several limbs were only somewhat visible in the mass of blankets and pillows.

Blake stood there, grinning when a small snore emanated from within the nest of comforter. Deciding that his Captain's rest was more important than his question, he left the exhausted man to his sleep.

* * *

The sun had started its descent in the sky a few hours ago, and it was getting close to the horizon. Before long, it would be dark. Usually, Bepo liked watching these sunsets, but he had a lot on his mind and he just couldn't shake it off.

'_I could stay with Pride and protect her from the hunters.' _He thought, but then he would take one look at the yellow submarine. '_But the crew is my family. We've been through so much. Captain wouldn't be happy that I left.'_

The female bear stirred in her sleep, shifting position on the ground under the makeshift shelter again. Bepo watched her, wondering what it was like to be in her paws.

She kept mentioning the fact that the hunters always came in groups, but Bepo had yet to see any sign of people on the island.

'_Maybe they were sailors? Hunting for polar bears?'_ He shook his head. He should have smelled any remnant of humans occupying the island as soon as they landed. So, why wasn't anything adding up?

Another question was why he hadn't smelled any other polar bears on the island. And it was very odd that there was only one polar bear on an entire island where she proclaimed there to be polar bears. Bepo shook his head. He was so confused.

And she had stated that she wasn't fed enough for hibernation but...polar bears didn't hibernate. Even he knew that despite not living in the wild. So...why had she lied?

The wind started picking up, harshly billowing the fabric of the shelter. It flapped dangerously, and Bepo looked up to see the blizzard going on towards the forest. Suddenly, he noticed a dark figure walking towards the sub. It was a single person, hunched over from the snow. Bepo got up quickly and went to see who it was.

He couldn't smell them properly because of the shifting winds. The figure seemed to look up at him and find newfound strength.

"Bepo!" A hoarse voice called out, and the polar bear recognized it as Shachi.

"Shachi, what are you doing out here?" He loped up beside the engineer who was shivering violently. He looked to be close to hypothermic, and Bepo picked him up without warning. Holding him to his chest, surrounded by his fur, Shachi let out a sigh of relief.

He stiffened, and started to scramble out of the bear's arms. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I have to find Captain. Soon or she'll die. We need to look for her!"

Bepo kept pace with Shachi's slow running. "Who?" The engineer looked at him with dread, as if he had committed some terrible act and not told anyone. He tried to speak a few times but his voice wouldn't work, or he was scared of saying it out loud. Finally…

"Summer-chan. She's lost somewhere out there."

* * *

A/N- Summer's still lost? Law is still asleep? What will his sexy butt do when he finds out?

Don't forget to leave a review! They really help.

Question: Does asking for reviews down here even help at all? O.o Because I'm thinking of just getting rid of the above line entirely for all chapters following if it doesn't.

See you in the next chapter!


	6. I Must Eat

A/N- Finally! Chapter 6 is done. :) Sorry it took so long to get done. I've been...busy.

**BatmanSwim2016- **It's all ok! Bepo to the rescue! :D

**laternenfisch- **I'm so glad you're enjoying it! :D

**10th Squad 3rd Seat- **Oh, I wish I could have pictures. ;) The only question is if I would share or not. :P

* * *

"She was somewhere in that direction." Shachi pointed towards the forest so far away. The trees were impossibly to see because of the storm. "A blizzard hit us and we got separated."

"How long did you walk for after you were separated?" Law asked, still trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. He searched for his hat around his quarters.

"Um...maybe twenty minutes? I wasn't keeping track…"

"It's fine, Shachi-ya. We'll find her and bring her back." Law's steady and confident replies eased the engineer's fears a little. He was worried that Summer would freeze out there, all alone with no one to help her. And it was all his fault…

"Bepo, you are the primary lead in this search. Once you find her, make sure she isn't injured. If she is, you'll have to carry her back and keep her warm."

"Aye, Captain." The bear nodded, determined to find his nakama. He turned, exiting the submarine and walking out into the snowy weather. Beside him was the makeshift shelter, but it had been completely knocked over by the high winds and heavy snowfall. The blankets were covered in snow and Pride was nowhere to be seen.

'_I wonder where she went?'_ The bear thought, but he didn't worry too much. She had recovered much of her strength and was used to the extreme climates of the island. Summer, however, was not and was still out there somewhere.

Earlier, he'd been wondering what path he wanted his life to follow after this point. Should he stay with Pride and help her fend off the hunters, living in the wild for the first time in a long time? Or should he stay with his crew and battle the World Government, helping his Captain, his best friend, to become the Pirate King?

The answer used to be blurry, unsure to him. But now, with developments going how they did, he thought he knew the answer. Dismissing Pride from his mind, he ran off towards where Summer had last been seen.

* * *

The wind was picking up. It swirled, pushing Summer back and forth as she swayed uneasily on her feet. All she could see in front of her, behind her, to each side and above, was white. The absence of color was almost nauseating. Her headache was still raging hard, pulsing through her skull in a steady beat. She coughed a few times from the cold, thin air.

The sub was nowhere in sight. She'd been walking for at least fifteen minutes, maybe more. It was impossible to count at this point.

"Sh-Shachi!" She weakly called, trying in a vain attempt to find her missing nakama. It was her fault they'd been separated. She had been an idiot and fallen down a freakin' slope. Not even a mountain or a hill, but a measly slope!

"Summer! Where are you?" A voice called somewhere in the white expanse. Her head perked up.

"Here!" Her voice croaked. She waved her arm in the arm, the other cradling her injured knee. Maybe if she moved around they would find her. "Over here!"

"I can smell you, just barely. I'm coming!"

'_Ah, it must be Bepo.'_ She thought in relief. The thought of his warm, soft fur was a comfort. She could no longer feel her skin, but now her worries had eased. If Bepo was here, everything would be alright.

It was a few minutes before Bepo's orange jumpsuit came into view. The storm was so strong and thick that tracking her was this difficult. He spotted her and came over, shielding her from one side of the wind.

"Are you alright? Are you injured?"

"My knee…" She muttered, glancing down at the injury. The bear saw the now crusted blood over her pants, mixed with the fresh flowing stream and hesitantly touched it. Summer winced and he retracted his hand.

"We need to get you back to the submarine so Captain can treat your wound." Nodding, Summer allowed herself to be hoisted up by the bear and into his arms. She immediately felt the warm of Bepo's body heat and her frozen body began to feel the small amount of temperature. She sighed in relief.

"T-thank you…" She whispered before allowing herself to fall unconscious. Unbeknownst to her, he heard and smiled.

* * *

Bepo trudged through the deep snow with Summer in his arms, careful not to jostle her injured leg around too much. Blood still trickled from the wound. Some of it got onto his fur but he didn't mind. As long as she was safe, he was happy.

The two were still a mile or so from the submarine. The storm had moved closer to where they had docked, and it was getting worse each second.

A massive roar thundered close to them on the left, and Bepo instinctively took up a defensive position. Summer was still unconscious, so he gently lowered her to the snow. Looking up to wherever the sound had come from, he saw Pride walking in a hostile manner towards them.

"Pride, what are you doing?" Bepo asked, unsure as to what was going on.

"Give her to me. She is weak and won't survive." She growled in return, her hind legs stiff and tense. He narrowed his eyes.

"She's nakama. I won't let you have her."

"I must eat!" She roared, standing on her back legs. "You wanted to help me before. Help me now!" This display of superiority was probably something she'd developed from the wild, but Bepo wasn't intimidated.

"We already gave you the food we had!" Bepo kept a careful eye on Summer in case there was some trick involved.

"I need more!" She growled again, before falling back onto four feet and charging him.

He was hesitant to engage in combat before, simply on the off chance she wouldn't do anything. But now that she had teeth bared and a crazed look in her eyes, Bepo was going to protect his nakama's life with his own.

* * *

A/N- *Gasp* Pride, what are you doing? :o

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If you haven't already, go check out some of my other stories! Or, if you aren't that into my writing, there's always my favorites list on my profile. :)

See you in the next chapter!


	7. Soul-Searching

A/N- Ah! The last chapter! Oh no! D: Alas, all stories must end. But that is the beauty of books! Rereading stories is never a crime! :)

* * *

Pride charged, teeth bared and a growl at her lips. Preparing for her impact, Bepo stood in front of Summer's limp figure. Once she was close enough, Pride reared her head and made to bite the first mate. Dodging the attack, he picked up Pride from under her belly and used her own momentum to throw her several feet away. She landed hard, giving a growl of anger when she hit.

"How dare you!" She roared, regaining her feet and preparing to charge once more.

Bepo only shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you, but I won't let you touch Summer!"

"Fool! She is as good as dead!" She charged once more, and Bepo realized that nothing he said would change the bear's mind. He held up his hands, ready in a kung fu position, waiting for the bear to get close enough.

"Hiya!" He cried, punching the bear as hard as he could. Pride couldn't dodge the attack in time and went sailing to the right, plowing through the snow. Wanting to end the fight quickly, he ran after her, jumping high into the air before plummeting down with a kick in her side.

She yelped and slid another twenty feet. Bepo planted his feet on the ground, hands still at the ready to attack if necessary. She didn't move.

Realizing the fight was over, and very quickly at that, he dropped his defensive stance and stared at her a few more moments.

"I thought you'd be different. I thought you'd be perfect." He bowed his head in depression, turning back to take Summer back to the submarine. The small, unconscious woman cuddled closer into the bear's fur, instinctively seeking out his warmth. Bepo smiled a little.

* * *

_***The Next Day***_

"You're not to leave this room for at least three days." Law demanded, challenging Summer to the most intense battle of a staring contest Bepo had ever seen. Both nakama looked about ready to snap. Neither looked ready to give in.

"I feel fine! Look! All limbs are attached!" Summer shouted, crossing her arms. She sat on the infirmary bed with her legs dangling down the side. She was wrapped in several blankets and, along with her own coat, sported several layers of clothing. Even her socks were doubled up. Bepo could smell her discomfort.

"It doesn't matter if you feel fine or not, I need to make sure there wasn't any permanent damage from being in the cold that long." Law back was turned away from her, checking over the clipboard in front of her bed. Summer threw her hands up in exasperation.

"God, you can be so damn _stubborn_ sometimes. It's irritating as hell!" He turned back towards her with narrowed eyes and a small smirk.

"How ironic, coming from you." The captain quipped, causing Summer to narrow her own eyes. She groaned aloud, pushing herself down from the sheets and blankets and onto the floor. She stood there with crossed arms and a pouty expression.

"I'm not staying in this damn room any longer!" She tried to walk away but Law's hand on her forearm stopped her movements.

"Get back in the bed or I'll forcefully put you there." Law growled deeply. He reached for the scalpel on the side table, making his threat obvious. Summer was not amused or frightened.

"Like hell you will." The two stared each other down again, leaving Bepo uncomfortable in the tense atmosphere of the infirmary. Deciding that neither of them would actually hurt the other-he hoped, at least-he retreated out the double doors and padded down the hall to the navigation deck. The shouts of the two nakama could be heard for several minutes down the hallway.

Jean Bart was inside, glancing only minutely at the bear before resuming his work. A quick glance around the room. confirmed that nothing had changed, despite the queasy feeling Bepo had inside. Leaning back in his chair with a sigh, he looked over the various pressure gauges and knobs for speed control. Home sweet home.

But, Bepo himself didn't feel complete. Like something had been taken from him, though what it was he couldn't quite pinpoint. So many things had happened the past few days.

The first mate was so happy that both Shachi and Summer were alright. They could have died in the snow, but he'd made it just in time to save Summer. Next time he saw her, he would tell her to be more careful. He knew she was a wild kind of person, prone to being reckless and stubborn, but she was who she was and he only hoped she wouldn't put herself in unnecessary danger...too often, at least.

"Hey." Jean Bart's voice snapped the bear out of his thoughts. With a surprised look, Bepo glanced at the ex-captain. One eyebrow was raised. "You seem troubled."

With a sigh, Bepo shook his head. "I don't know what it is. I just keep thinking something's wrong or...missing."

Jean Bart grunted. "Ah, I think I know what you are experiencing." The bear looked up in surprise. "You are heartbroken."

"Heartbroken?" He never really thought about that.

"You were very attached to Pride, weren't you?" Bepo gave a nod. "Because she turned out to be different from what you first thought of her, it broke your heart."

This was about as close to sentimental Bepo had ever seen the navigator. It was a stunning experience, and he was half speechless because of it.

"Well...what do I do?" He asked meekly. His companion shrugged.

"Just move on. Women do not stick around long, always changing their minds and doubting what they themselves thought they wanted."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Huh." Bepo was beginning to see a whole new side to the world. Obviously, there was a lot he didn't know about women.

"Of course, there are always good women." Jean Bart narrowed his eyes in thought, pondering something Bepo couldn't quite decipher. "Summer is a good woman, I believe. She understands the darkness of the world but still sees the good in it."

"Summer is a good person." Bepo agreed.

"My advice is to keep looking." The navigator finished, ending the conversation there and leaving Bepo to come up with his own conclusion.

Bepo did some soul-searching, looking deep inside himself to really understand what it was he wanted. It took several minutes, as he examined every aspect of what he was feeling.

Yes, he'd been sad when Pride had attacked Summer and turned out to be different than what she'd seemed to be. Yes, he'd been sad when he'd had to hurt her. But, the pain of losing Summer out in the cold like that had been even greater. The thought of losing one of his nakama was unbearable.

* * *

"Hey." He said, getting the attention of his companion a while later.

"What?" Bepo smiled.

"Do you think the next island will have female bears?"

* * *

A/N- Aaaaand that's a wrap :D Thank you all of you who supported me through this story! (Which turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be) :o

Please, leave a review and let me know what you thought about it! You guys are the best! :D

See you in the next story!


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